5.0(7 Reviews)Half Day New Orleans Inshore Fishing Charter
5.0(7 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Top Rated
Five-hour private inshore charter targeting redfish and speckled troutExpert captain provides all gear and local fishing knowledgeSmall group experience accommodates up to two guests maximum
Captain Frenchy's 5-hour private fishing charter puts you right in the heart of New Orleans' most productive inshore waters. This isn't your typical tourist boat ride – it's a serious fishing trip designed for anglers who want to get on the fish fast and stay on them all day. With just your group of up to 2 people, you'll have Captain Frenchy's full attention as he works the marshes, flats, and channels where redfish, speckled trout, and black drum call home. All your gear is included, and whether you're slinging lures for the first time or you've been working these waters for years, Frenchy knows how to put you on fish.
Your day starts early when you meet Captain Frenchy at the dock, ready to hit the prime fishing spots while the water's still cool and the fish are active. This half-day charter covers serious ground – from shallow grass flats where redfish cruise in skinny water to deeper channels where black drum stack up during their seasonal runs. The boat's rigged with quality rods, reels, and a tackle box full of proven baits and lures that work in these specific waters. Frenchy reads the tides, wind, and water conditions like a book, adjusting the game plan throughout the trip to keep your lines tight. The beautiful marsh scenery is just a bonus when you're focused on consistent bites and a cooler full of fish to take home.
Captain Frenchy runs a variety of techniques depending on what the fish are doing and where they're holding. You might start the morning throwing topwater plugs over grass beds, listening for that explosive strike when a redfish crushes your lure on the surface. When the action calls for it, you'll switch to live bait – shrimp under popping corks or cut bait on the bottom for black drum and sheepshead around structure. Soft plastics rigged on jig heads are money for speckled trout, especially when they're holding in deeper water or around drop-offs. The captain provides all the gear, from medium-light spinning setups perfect for trout to heavier tackle when you need to muscle a big red out of thick cover. Circle hooks, quality swivels, and fresh leader material ensure you won't lose fish to tackle failure.
"Captain Sandot is simply the best! He's incredibly knowledgeable about the local waterways and knows exactly the right setup for a successful fishing trip. We had an amazing time and caught over 30 speckled trout and three redfish in just five hours. Highly recommend!" - Bryan. "Captain Frenchy was a super captain and host. Very fun and engaging and totally dialed in on the fish. We would recommend him highly to anyone and hope to fish again with him soon." - Margaret. "The fishing was rough but Frenchy still made sure we went home with a full cooler. He is excellent at what he does and is very comfortable and entertaining to be around. We will definitely return for another trip with Frenchy!!" - Heather Campbell.
Redfish are the crown jewel of New Orleans inshore fishing, and these copper-colored fighters are what dreams are made of. Louisiana reds typically run 18 to 27 inches in the slot limit, with plenty of bull reds over 27 inches that'll test your drag system. They're most active during moving tides, especially early morning and late afternoon. You'll find them cruising shallow flats, tailing in skinny water, or holding around oyster reefs and marsh edges. Redfish hit hard and fight harder, making long runs and using their broad sides to pull drag. Spring through fall offers the most consistent action, but winter fishing can be lights-out when you find them schooled up in deeper holes.
Black drum are the heavyweights of the marsh, with fish ranging from 5-pound puppy drum to massive 40-plus-pound bulls that'll make you question your tackle choices. These bottom-feeders love structure – bridge pilings, oyster reefs, and rock piles where they root around for crabs and shellfish. Fresh dead shrimp or blue crab chunks on circle hooks are your best bet, fished tight to the bottom. Black drum don't make flashy runs like redfish, but they're pure power, using their weight and broad shoulders to stay deep. The bigger fish show up during their spring spawning runs, often in schools that'll keep your rods bent for hours.
Striped Bass in New Orleans waters are typically hybrid stripers or freshwater fish that venture into brackish areas, especially during cooler months. These silver rockets are built for speed and put up some of the best fights you'll experience inshore. They school up and feed aggressively on shad and other baitfish, often busting the surface when they're in feeding mode. Live shrimp, small croakers, or white bucktail jigs work well when you locate a school. Stripers hit hard and make long, fast runs, often jumping clear of the water. Winter and early spring are peak times when these fish move into the area following bait schools.
Sheepshead are the convict-striped specialists that hang around any kind of hard structure – docks, pilings, reefs, and jetties. These fish have human-like teeth designed for crushing shellfish, which makes them notorious bait thieves. Fresh shrimp, fiddler crabs, or small pieces of blue crab fished on small hooks with light line are the ticket. Sheepshead require patience and a quick hook set – they're masters at stealing bait without getting hooked. But when you connect, they're surprisingly strong fighters that use structure to their advantage. Fall through early spring offers the best sheepshead action when they school up for spawning.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are powerhouse fighters that run 5-30 pounds around New Orleans, though giants hitting 50+ pounds show up regularly. These grey-black bruisers love our shallow oyster beds, muddy flats, and structure where they crush crabs and shellfish with those heavy jaws. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - that's when you'll find the best action. What makes them special is that drumming sound they make underwater, plus they're fantastic eating if you keep the smaller ones under 15 pounds. The meat gets tough on the big ones. My go-to tip: use fresh blue crab or peeler crab on a Carolina rig and keep your bait right on the bottom. They're picky about presentation, so if you're not getting bites, move that bait just a few inches.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are our bread and butter inshore species, typically running 20-30 inches with that copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. They cruise our shallow grass flats, oyster reefs, and marsh edges in 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs stick out. Year-round fishing with spring and fall being peak times when they school up. What guests love is watching them tail in skinny water and that explosive topwater bite when they crush a spoon or popper. They're also excellent table fare with mild, sweet meat. The spot by their tail tricks predators into attacking the wrong end - pretty clever for a fish. My go-to setup is a gold spoon or live shrimp under a popping cork. Key is staying quiet and making long casts to avoid spooking them in the shallows.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the pickpockets of the pier pilings, running 2-8 pounds with those human-like teeth and black prison stripes. They live around any structure - docks, bridges, rigs - where they pick barnacles and crabs off the pilings. Winter and spring are prime time when they're thick around our area structures. What makes them fun is they're notorious bait thieves with light, finicky bites that'll test your reflexes. Plus they're some of the best eating fish in the Gulf with sweet, white meat. The challenge is getting them to commit before they steal your bait. My trick is using small hooks with fresh fiddler crabs or shrimp, keeping the bait tight to structure, and setting the hook at the first tap. Don't wait for them to load up - they'll clean your hook and disappear.
Micropterus DolomieuSmallmouth Bass aren't native to our saltwater marshes, but when we target them in the freshwater areas upriver, they're absolute dynamite on light tackle. These bronze fighters typically run 12-18 inches and 2-4 pounds, with females getting bigger. They love rocky structure and clear water with some current flow. Spring and fall are your best bets when water temps are moderate - summer pushes them deeper where they're tougher to find. What makes them special is pound-for-pound, nothing fights harder. They'll jump, run, and test every knot you've got. The meat's firm and tasty too. My local trick is using a weightless soft plastic rigged weedless around submerged timber. Let it sink naturally and twitch it just enough to get their attention - the subtle approach usually outfishes aggressive presentations.
Morone SaxatilisStriped Bass are seasonal visitors that show up during their Gulf migrations, typically running 20-40 pounds with those distinctive black stripes down their silver sides. They're structure-oriented fish that hang around bridge pilings, jetties, and channel drop-offs in 10-30 feet of water. Best fishing happens during cooler months when they're moving through our area following baitfish. What guests love is their aggressive strikes and bulldogging fights - these fish know how to use that current against you. They're also top-notch eating with firm, flaky white meat. The key to success is matching the bait to what they're feeding on. I always keep live shrimp and cut bait ready, but when they're busting bait on the surface, throw topwater plugs or bucktail jigs right into the chaos.
5.0 out of 5.0"Captain Sandot is simply the best! He's incredibly knowledgeable about the local waterways and knows exactly the right setup for ...
Bryan Harper, Thank you! . Looking forward to our next trip.
Captain Frenchy was a super captain and host. Very fun and engaging and totally dialed in on the fish. We would recommend him hi...
Margaret Begley, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip.
The fishing was rough but Frenchy still made sure we went home with a full cooler. He is excellent at what he does and is very co...
Awesome trip and experience !! My girlfriend and I couldn’t be happier with our half day private charter. Frenchy is a world clas...
David Brown, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip. you guys did an ex...
Simply awesome trip. We had our fish dinner on the hotel grill last night! Captain Sandot is as fine of a fisherman, tour guide ...
Joseph Sawyer, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip.
Mark Biglione, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip.
Will book with him again
New Orleans